This is How Atletico boss got upper hand on Real
The Argentine coach ended a period of almost 14 years without a derby win for the Rojiblancos and has ensured bragging rights for his club so far in 2014-15
In a Liga clash between Real Madrid and Atletico in November 2011, fans of Los Blancos raised a banner with a message mocking their rivals' long-suffering supporters. "Wanted: a worthy rival for a decent derby," it read.
Less than three and a half years on, however, and it is Real struggling to beat Atletico. Almost 14 years of hurt for the Rojiblancos - they had last won a derby in 1999 - were ended in spectacular style as Diego Simeone's side beat Madrid in the 2013 Copa del Rey final at, of all places, the Santiago Bernabeu.
Then, last season, Atleti again beat Madrid at the Bernabeu in La Liga and came within seconds of victory in the Champions League final in Lisbon, ultimately frustrated by Sergio Ramos' late leveller before crumbling in extra-time as Madrid's greater freshness and fitness came into play.
But this term, Simeone's side have done even better against Real. After the two teams drew 1-1 at the Bernabeu in the first fixture of the Spanish season, Atleti won the second match 1-0 to lift the Spanish Supercopa. They then won 2-1 at the Bernabeu in La Liga, before beating their city rivals 2-0 in the teams' Copa de Rey last-16 first leg at the Vicente Calderon, drawing the return 2-2. And in the teams' last meeting in early February, Atleti humiliated their richer rivals with an amazing 4-0 victory.
So not only have Madrid now found a worthy rival for a decent derby, but they have also seemingly met their match. In six meetings so far this term, Real have won none and drawn only two - the two ties hardly helpful to Real anyway as they came in aggregate losses in the Copa and Supercopa.
"We have great respect for Madrid and their players. You can see the difference in La Liga and in the budgets of the two teams," Simeone said in the pre-match press conference ahead of his side's meeting with Real in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday - the seventh match between the two teams in 2014-15.
"But in a single game it is evened out. It's a new tie - there are players from both sides that weren't in Lisbon," he added, while claiming he was proud to be up against Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. "I have a great admiration for Ancelotti as a person," he said. "It makes me proud to compete with the best."
Earlier, Ancelotti had been asked whether his job depended on the result of the latest derby duel and, even though he claimed he would be judged at the end of the season, the Italian did admit facing Simeone was a difficult challenge.
"What can I say about Simeone?" he said at his own pre-match press conference. "He has proved himself. He is one of the best coaches in the world. Facing Simeone is an honour... and a problem."
And with the pressure mounting for the Italian coach, it is a problem he has to overcome after derby disappointment in each of the last six fixtures against Atleti this term.
Before the Argentine's arrival and in his early days as coach at the Calderon, defeat to Real was virtually inevitable for the Rojiblancos. But so far has Simeone swung the balance of this fixture in recent times that on Tuesday it is now Madrid who will be out to prove that they can be a worthy rival for a decent derby - and not the other way around.
How times have changed.
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